Kanji used in Japanese names
A kanji can have several readings, including readings used specifically in names. The kana on this page is one documented example, not a rule for every full name. Our 60 selected full names each record their own complete kana reading. Stroke counts use Unicode Unihan data; check the exact written form before official use.
| Kanji | Example reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 春 | はる | spring |
| 人 | ひと | person |
| 大 | だい | large; great |
| 輝 | き | radiance; brilliance |
| 海 | うみ | sea |
| 斗 | と | a measure; name ending |
| 健 | けん | health; strength |
| 太 | た | large; name ending |
| 翔 | しょう | flight; soaring |
| 涼 | りょう | coolness |
| 悠 | ゆう | unhurried; distant |
| 真 | まこと | truth; sincerity |
| 優 | ゆう | gentleness; excellence |
| 蓮 | れん | lotus |
| 星 | ほし | star |
| 也 | や | a common name ending |
| 智 | とも | wisdom |
| 直 | なお | straight; honest |
| 樹 | き | tree |
| 和 | かず | harmony |
| 希 | き | hope; rarity |
| 朝 | あさ | morning |
| 日 | ひ | day; sun |
| 夏 | なつ | summer |
| 冬 | ふゆ | winter |
| 陽 | ひ | sunlight |
| 菜 | な | greens; plants |
| 美 | み | beauty |
| 緒 | お | thread; beginning |
| 芽 | め | sprout |
| 衣 | い | clothing |
| 奈 | な | a common name character |
| 小 | こ | small |
| 七 | なな | seven |
| 里 | り | village; distance unit |
| 恵 | けい | blessing |
| 子 | こ | child; classic ending |
| 香 | か | fragrance |
| 彩 | あや | color |
| 花 | はな | flower |
| 桃 | もも | peach |
| 鈴 | すず | bell |
| 音 | おと | sound |
| 柚 | ゆず | yuzu citrus |
| 月 | つき | moon |
| 莉 | り | a jasmine-related character |
| 佳 | か | good; fine |
| 理 | り | reason; order |
| 沙 | さ | sand |
| 耶 | や | a character used in names |
| 千 | ち | thousand |
| 尋 | ひろ | search; a traditional measure of length |
| 杏 | あん | apricot |
| 琴 | こと | zither |
| 雪 | ゆき | snow |
| 乃 | の | a literary connector |
| 結 | ゆい | a bond or connection |
| 颯 | そう | brisk wind |
| 拓 | たく | to open; develop |
| 亮 | りょう | bright; clear |
| 介 | すけ | help; support |
| 圭 | けい | jade tablet |
| 航 | こう | navigation |
| 平 | へい | level; peace |
| 修 | しゅう | cultivation; repair |
| 雄 | ゆう | strength; male |
| 明 | あき | brightness |
| 由 | ゆ | reason; origin |
| 京 | きょう | capital |
| 晴 | はる | clear skies |
| 紗 | さ | thin silk |
| 季 | き | season |
| 央 | おう | center |
| 歩 | あゆ | walking |
| 光 | ひかり | light |
| 空 | そら | sky |
| 陸 | りく | land |
| 湊 | みなと | harbor |
| 蒼 | あお | deep blue |
| 匠 | たくみ | craftsperson |
| 葵 | あおい | hollyhock |
| 楓 | かえで | maple |
| 桜 | さくら | cherry blossom |
| 凛 | りん | dignified |
| 碧 | あお | deep blue-green |
| 翠 | みどり | green; kingfisher hue |
| 茜 | あかね | madder red |
| 柊 | ひいらぎ | holly |
| 葉 | は | leaf |
| 薫 | かおる | fragrance |
| 司 | つかさ | to manage |
| 聡 | さとし | intelligent |
| 賢 | けん | wise |
| 信 | しん | trust |
| 誠 | まこと | sincerity |
| 仁 | じん | benevolence |
| 徳 | とく | virtue |
| 礼 | れい | courtesy |
| 愛 | あい | love |
| 幸 | さち | happiness |